News

Depressed Accrington man jumped off bridge

A MAN died after jumping from a road bridge onto a rail track, an inquest has heard.

Andrew Burgess, 36, from Accrington, jumped from the bridge in Penny House Lane on Friday, August 16, after suffering with depression for two years.

CCTV from a nearby factory shows the biochemist, who was living in Manor Street, jump from the bridge at 9.15pm, but his body wasn’t found until noon the next day.

Speaking at Blackburn Coroners Court, his mum, Kathleen, said: “His mental health problems had been going on since his dad died two and a half years ago and he had been referred to mental health specialists by the GP.

He always took his antidepressants but he was still drinking heavily and that’s when he had suicidal thoughts. On the last day that I saw him he seemed fine and it looked like he was ok.

"I don’t understand how this has happened since he was sectioned on Sunday, August 11, and taken into care.